Day 10 - Fridge Re-Up and Trail Brawls

(original date June 25, 2026. Lack of RC has caused my backlog to slow, but tomorrow I receive my first reward so hopefully it starts to slowly pick up. Really excited to get all caught up- almost there!)

I seem to have a hidden talent to predicting where work is going to be done early in the morning. Two days ago an excavator was dropped off next to the van shortly after I woke up on the forest road, and this morning I woke up to sewage line repairs going on 50 feet from the van up in the town.

I don’t mind, to be clear, in the slightest. I struggle with silence and I prefer being around the noise. The last apartment I had I intentionally picked over my other option due to it’s proximity to bar noise. I grew up sharing a bedroom with the laundry machine and I would run the dryer with a clean towel in it when I couldn’t sleep. My dad was not a fan of this when he found out.

But I do find it funny that I somehow continually pick spots that are in these zones. And I do feel a little awkward climbing out of my van in my sleep clothes to brush my teeth next to a work zone. I’ll just have to get over it.

The morning started off strong. I walked over to the rest area to use the bathroom and wash my face, stopping at the Bev’ron for a coffee on the way. Upon leaving the bathroom, I found a $10 bill on the ground. It’s been a long time since I found cash on the ground, and it was nice after feeling weird about buying coffee when I have instant in the van.

I set off on my morning routine of aimlessly walking around while drinking said coffee. I was trying to decide whether I wanted to go back up to the lodge to try to be an adult or just hammer some stuff out in the van. A few minutes into the walk, I got a text from the manager of a job I applied to yesterday about setting up an interview. It’s a promising step because any job I’ve ever interviewed for I’ve gotten. My resume has a lot of gaps in it and might turn off some employers, but once I get to the interview stage, I’m in.

It’s not the highest paying job in the world, but it seems like something I’d enjoy greatly and I’ll take a pay cut for good working environment any day. Especially now, sans rent. So it’s lookin up, everything’s coming up Milhouse.

Upon realizing I forgot to eat yesterday(thanks ADHD), I opened up the cooler to put something together. The last time I got ice was from the motel I was staying at when I bought the van, almost a week ago now, and I’m amazed it has lasted this long. But the cooler definitely felt a little warm, and I didn’t want to lose my food, so I had to go get ice. It’s been in the upper 80s where I’ve been lately, but with a 4 day rain streak starting tomorrow, I’m hoping this batch lasts even longer. I’m pleasantly surprised to say the least.

Even though I’m fairly confident I have this job locked down, I did a few more job applications. I am extremely hesitant to spend any money on some much needed things until I am back at work. And when I say much needed, I do mean much needed. So I figured I should have a back up, and honestly I’ll just start whatever position can put me on schedule the soonest. I wouldn’t mind having a second job either, so I can stack some cash while I’m here to give me a little wiggle room when I leave Oregon; whenever that is.

I did some shoe goo-ing and oiled my cutting board in between job applications. I don’t really think these shoes are salvageable but I figured I’d give it a shot just to have some comfortable junk shoes for river wading or dirty work.

My ribs have been starting to feel better and I figured I should start exercising again. I really could have been doing so this whole time; at the very least some light hiking.. but I’ve gotten distracted by the van and have honestly just been being a lazy piece of shit. So last night I spontaneously went for a night hike and did the same tonight.

There’s a trail that runs all the way from Govy to Timberline. It starts off pretty mellow and quickly gets fairly steep. In the winter, and spring, you can ski/snowboard on this trail all the way to town. I’ve done that dozens of times, but this is my first time hiking it.

Considering how out of shape I’ve gotten from the injury(it happens fast if I don’t exercise daily), and the fact I had already walked around town for hours, and the time of night, I started off super small. Last night I only went a mile up and then turned around back to town. Tonight a mile and half, tomorrow two, and so on. Until I get to the lodge. And then maybe continue up from there, we’ll see 🤷‍♂️

Even though it was only a mile and a half, that last half mile is very steep and it was a solid start to getting my legs back under me. I was originally wanting to go further if I felt like it, and despite being prepared with a flashlight and a headlamp, I decided I didn’t want to hike in the dark. Normally I love it, but it wasn’t my night.

And maybe that was a good call. There’s a service road adjacent to the start of the trail I was on, and as it winds and winds it’s ways through switchbacks up the mountain, one corner of said switchbacks comes very close to the trail. There was a truck parked on the other side of the gate that prevents unauthorized vehicles from entering the trail, and as I walked past it on the way down, a man emerged and yelled in a very angry and downright sketchy voice, ”HEY! YOU! GET OVER HERE!”

I honestly had no idea what was going on and if this guy was sane or not. So I was on fuckin guard, anxious as all hell, and keeping a safe distance as I just responded with a flat “what?”. He accused me of robbing his campsite. ”DID YOU TAKE OUR SHIT? YOU TOOK ALL OUR SHIT. ALL OF OUR SHIT IS GONE” over and over again.

I mean I get it. It sucks getting your shit stolen. And, for those who don’t know, the PNW is famous for car thefts and break ins, and this area in particular is bad for campsite thefts. It sucks because the culprits almost certainly aren’t from anywhere around here. No one in this community is stealing anyone’s shit. But shitbags living within a 50 mile radius see opportunity in the summer influx of athletes and campers with expensive gear in a relatively vulnerable area.

But like dude? Can we use our brains for a second. Like wouldn’t anyone robbing a campsite probably be doing so from the road with a vehicle? Rather than on foot on a hiking path a mile from anywhere?

Anyways after pointing out i clearly had none of his shit on me, and that I clearly was just on a hike, and a few tense moments where I could literally watch him calm down, he told me to have a good day and I was on my way. It was honestly pretty jarring- we were in the middle of the woods, absolutely no one around, it was right as it was turning from dark to dark dark, and this guy was adrenaline’d out of his mind and I had no idea whether he was gonna get physical or not. But whatever, I went home, ate some dolmas, and laid down.

It feels good to have started unintentionally referring to going to the van as “going home”. It is starting to feel like home. I wish you all the best and I hope you got to do something you enjoyed today :)